New Hampshire Man Accused of Threatening Presidential Candidate Released from Jail

Tyler Anderson, 30, of Dover, New Hampshire, was arrested on Saturday and charged with sending a threat using interstate commerce. He was released on Thursday after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. The US Attorneys office did not name the candidate, but a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said on Monday that the texts were directed at his campaign.

Updated: Friday, December 15, 2023, 1:06 [IST]

Presidential Candidate Threat Case: New Hampshire Mans Fate Revealed — Representative image

A New Hampshire man accused of sending text messages threatening to kill a presidential candidate was released from jail on Thursday by a judge. Tyler Anderson, 30, of Dover, was arrested on Saturday and charged with sending a threat using interstate commerce. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Thursday.

Prosecutor's Argument for Detention

A federal prosecutor argued to keep Anderson in detention pending his trial, citing the "very violent, concerning language" used in the text messages. However, both the prosecution and defense lawyers acknowledged that Anderson had no intention of carrying out his threats.

Anderson's Release Conditions

The judge set forth several conditions for Anderson's release, including that he avoid contact with any presidential candidate and their political campaigns. Anderson, who is receiving mental health treatment, must also take all of his prescribed medications. Guns in his home, belonging to a roommate, must be removed.

Targeted Candidate

The US Attorneys office did not name the candidate, but a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy confirmed on Monday that the texts were directed at his campaign.

Details of the Threatening Texts

According to court documents, Anderson received a text message from the candidate's campaign notifying him of a breakfast event in Portsmouth on Monday. The campaign staff received two text messages in response, according to an FBI agent's affidavit. One threatened to shoot the candidate in the head, while the other threatened to kill everyone at the event and desecrate their corpses.